The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was yet another step in the rapid evolution of the western world in the modern era. The Renaissance was the first step, shattering the stability and relative intellectual narrowness of the long Middle Ages. The coming of the Reformation saw the Protestants grow steadily to a position nearly of co- dominance alongside the Catholic Church in Europe.
The next step in the evolution of Europe away from the constraints of tradition was the Scientific Revolution. The thinkers of the Scientific Revolution capitalized on the prevailing attitudes about questioning tradition and authority, applying them to supposed scientific truths that had been preserved by the Church during the Middle Ages.
The Enlightenment grew up alongside and out of the Scientific Revolution. The explanation of laws governing the functioning of nature led philosophers to desire a similar set of laws to govern the interactions of men. One main difference was that there was no established authority to serve as a starting point for this inquiry. Thus, the Enlightenment produced a wide variety of philosophies on the nature of man, with none able to claim the position of truth, since philosophies cannot be easily tested for accuracy. However, a common strain of thought did emerge from the Enlightenment, stating that men could improve, and perhaps perfect, human life through education and the effort to discover the laws of human interaction. Theories on what these laws might be exhorted free will, democracy, liberty, and ethics.
Armed with these philosophies, Europeans moved from the Enlightenment to a period of revolution, during which the citizenry attempted to prove the Enlightenment theory that men could improve their lot in life by conforming to the laws of nature. Conforming to the laws established by the eighteenth century philosophers involved, more than anything, liberalization of government to give the citizenry a more direct role in governance. As the bastions of absolute power in Europe crumbled in the ensuing centuries, the ideas of the Enlightenment on the nature of humankind and the responsibilities of government clearly informed the creation of new governments and new cultural mores.
The Enlightenment is often considered the founding period of modern thought and intellectual expression. The style, ideals, and subject matter employed by Enlightenment philosophers heavily influenced their direct successors in philosophy and literature. The works of the Enlightenment have remained widely studied, and their influence continues to be felt even today.
Prominent Thinkers of the Enlightenment
Voltaire (1694-1778)
Wrote Letters to the English. He criticized the Church because he felt it limited freedom of thought. He taught tolerance in religion and politics.
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Wrote The Spirit of the Laws. He praised the government of England because it was democratic. He urged the creation of three branches of government which become the model of government established by the USA.
John Locke (1632-1704)
Wrote Essay Concerning Human Understanding. He believed that a government should only exist with the consent of the governed. His ideas came out of the English Revolution of 1688.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Wrote The Social Contract. Rousseau furthered developed the ideas of Locke. He felt that people gave governments the right to rule and if the government ruled unwisely the people had the right to remove the government. Again, these ideas were taken up during the American Revolution.
Adam Smith (1722-1790)
Wrote The Wealth of Nations. He felt that the economy should not be closely controlled by the government. It should protect property and provide a sound currency. He felt that the laws of supply and demand would regulate wages, prices and profits.